Volcanoes are intriguing and scary at the same time. Iceland has always been on the lane of geothermal energy innovation and has managed to produce renewable electricity. The country wants to take things further and to another level by drilling deeper into the earth into its volcanic systems. This is because they want to see if they can get more energy out of this.
Why Iceland’s geothermal advantage is unmatched by America
First of all, Iceland is home to volcanoes. The same volcanoes that produce geothermal energy. The country has access to unlimited geothermal reservoirs, so America cannot compare itself to that. Another thing: the USA lacks the infrastructure, technological tools, and geological conditions to produce renewable energy at Iceland’s capacity, leaving untapped potential locked beneath the earth.
Uncertain returns and hefty drilling costs have stymied America’s geothermal aspirations. However, Iceland’s experience and achievements may serve as a model for wider worldwide adoption, demonstrating that even energy that is hard to acquire may be a workable answer. Additionally, what has Iceland got to lose even if they invest money into energy projects? Nothing; it is their hub.
Why scientists and researchers are excavating volcanoes: They have faith in them
About 30 Krafla eruptions have occurred in the past millennium, with the most recent being in the mid-1980s. The goal of the Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) is to improve scientists’ knowledge of the behaviour of the molten rock, or magma, beneath. This information could be used to predict the likelihood of eruptions and advance geothermal energy by utilising a very hot and possibly infinite supply of volcanic energy.
The plan by Iceland to dig further into volcanoes
The KMT team will start digging the first of two boreholes, approximately 2.1 km (1.3 miles) below the surface, in 2027 to establish a unique subterranean magma observatory. It’s comparable to our moonshot. Yan Lavallée, who leads KMT’s science committee and is a professor of magmatic petrology and volcanology at Ludwigs-Maximillian University in Munich, says, “It’s going to change a lot of things.”
Seismometers and other instruments are typically used to track volcanic activity. However, Prof. Lavallée notes that we don’t know much about the magma beneath the surface, unlike lava on the top. He continues, “In order to truly listen to the pulse of the earth, we’d like to instrument the magma.” This endeavour is a problem in science and engineering that calls for advanced technology and careful implementation.
If successful, this will be named one of the world’s, if not the world’s, leading geothermal energy hubs. This means the energy could be exported and supplied to other parts of the world that will benefit from this natural resource. Iceland is proving itself to be aligned with sustainability and creating a world that benefits from natural renewable energy.
The possible worldwide effects of supercritical geothermal power
The effects of Iceland’s volcanic drilling are not limited to its territory. Iceland’s innovation may offer a sustainable energy source that can help with the world’s energy constraints as countries rush to move away from fossil fuels. This technology gives the United States optimism for the development of geothermal capabilities in places like Nevada and the Salton Sea in California.
According to experts, if Iceland’s project is successful, it might inspire other nations to make investments in cutting-edge geothermal technologies, hastening the transition to renewable energy sources and lowering dependency on gas and oil. Although many countries do not have access to geothermal energy like Iceland, they will still find themselves implementing ideas to increase the supply of it.
Although drilling into volcanic lava may seem dangerous, Mr. Guðmundsson disagrees. Drilling into the ground also carries other risks, such as producing poisonous gases and triggering earthquakes, according to Prof. Archer. But that is highly unlikely given Iceland’s geological environment. Although the project will take years, it may result in improved forecasting and more volcanic power.